General Chapter -- 14th English Report

The following is a summary of the activities of the 20th General Chapter on Monday, June 2. Those reading these summaries are reminded that the chapter maintains a web page at: http://www.scj.org

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Fr. Rino Venturin, representing the Philippines, led morning prayer. The minutes from Saturday's session were then read and approved and the floor was given to Fr. Bressanelli for some introductory comments.

The superior general said that this chapter has been divided into several distinct sections. First, there was a review of the status of the congregation. Reports were given by the general administration as well as the provinces, regions and lay Dehonians. During the past week, work centered on the global strategy and operational proposals were approved concerning it. Now, the chapter must develop guidelines to implement those proposals. It must also address the motions it approved for consideration last week.

And finally, the chapter must complete the election process.

"The chapter has been lived in a good spirit," he concluded, adding that he hoped that such a spirit would continue.

STRAW VOTE

Following Fr. Bressanelli's comments, the tellers passed out ballots for a straw vote. Initially, the moderator asked delegates to nominate three choices but after a suggestion from one of the delegates, it was decided that up to six names could be submitted.

While the tellers counted the votes, delegates took time to discuss a proposal on governance from the synthesis committee (as with the four previously discussed issues, a synthesis committee on governance summarized linguistic group reports into several proposals). The proposal was as follows:

"The 20th General Chapter calls upon the next General Council to name an ad hoc committee to study the entire structure of governance of the congregation at the general, provincial and local levels. This committee should present a report to the next meeting of provincial and regional superiors with the General Council."

Comments on the proposal varied widely. Many affirmed it, some suggested modifications and other voiced concern regarding the authority of such a committee. "It appears that we are giving greater power to a committee than what the chapter has," said one delegate. "By creating such a committee, is the chapter delegating work that it should do itself?"

Others disagreed, saying that study needs to be done; study which can't take place in the context of a chapter. "We must not operate in a vacuum," said a chapter member. Other congregations have done studies which an ad hoc committee could learn from. People on all levels of the congregation need to be consulted. "You can't build a building without consulting with architects and engineers." A future chapter can review the work and recommendations of an ad hoc committee and from that make decisions.

The commitee's role is research, reinforced several others in favor of the proposal. The ad hoc committee will not make decisions to change the structures of the congregation but only report and give suggestions to the appropriate decision-making bodies.

One delegate thought that perhaps the phrase "entire structure" was causing some people concern. Perhaps it would be appropriate for the chapter to list the structures the ad hoc committee should look at. "Some structures are doing fine, why include them in such a study," said the delegate.

Another noted that some governmental issues need to be dealt with now and not put off for a committee to study. He cited the issue of "territorial communities." The SCJ community in Madagascar has asked that the chapter review Madagascar's legal status to better reflect its special situation. Others agreed, but felt that the issue could be discussed separately from the first proposal regarding the ad hoc committee.

Bringing the discussion to a close, Fr. Bressanelli summarized what he heard. Basically, most delegates believe that some governmental structures need to be looked at. It is important now for the chapter to develop guidelines on how those structures should be studied. He asked that the issue be further discussed in the geographic small group meetings that would take place during the second morning session. The delegates would also discuss the criteria to be sought in choosing a general councilor.

Before breaking for the small groups, the tellers read the results of the straw poll. Fifty-two SCJs received votes, with Fr. Carlos Alberto da Costa Silva receiving the most at 70.

SMALL GROUP REPORTS

When they reconvened in plenary session, the small groups shared their discussions regarding criteria to be sought in a general councilor. Common themes quickly emerged from the reports. Several said that councilors should have a knowledge of the geographic zone they will represent and be able to share with that zone an international spirit of the congregation.

It was also reported that a councilor must have good communication skills and the ability to speak more than one language, or the capacity to learn one if needed. The person must have a good sense of the congregation -- its history and its spirituality -- as well as a deep love for it. He must be able to think internationally but not at the expense of the local church. A general councilor must be open to working as a member of a team

The moderator indicated that a synthesis report of the small groups' work would be prepared that evening and shared on Tuesday.

FIRST VOTE

The chapter then began the voting process for the first of the six councilors. Fr. Bressanelli emphasized that while this was the first ballot, they were not voting on a vice-superior at this time. The vicar-general of the congregation would be determined after the six councilors had been voted in.

On the first ballot, Fr. Carlos Alberto da Costa Silva received 37 votes -- two votes less than the absolute majority needed for him to be named as general councilor (On this first vote, only 77 votes were placed because one delegate was out of the room at the time -- the number needed for an absolute majority was 39). Fr. Chiarello had the second highest number of votes with 15.

On the second ballot, 78 votes were placed. This time Fr. Carlos Alberto received an absolute majority -- 53 votes. The tellers read the name on each ballot and when the absolute majority was reached (40), the delegates broke into applause. Fr. Bressanelli asked Fr. Carlos Alberto if he accepted the position. "I wouldn't mind going home, but I will accept," he said. Fr. Bressanelli thanked not only him, but his province for his service.

The delegates took a break and then voted for the second councilor. On the first ballot, Fr. Umberto Chiarello received the absolute majority with 50 votes. He accepted the position and was thanked by Fr. Bressanelli.

The last topic of discussion for the day was the juridical questions to be clarified. The 19th General Chapter, in four propositions voted on in the assembly, entrusted to the general administration the duty to investigate some juridical questions discussed in the linguistic groups and the assembly. The topics of the questions were: 1) organization of provincial chapters, 2) choice of clerical or lay status at the time of perpetual profession, 3) a non-SCJ serving as provincial treasurer, and 4) observers at the General Chapter. With the assistance of canon law experts, these topics were studied and presentations on them developed. These presentations were shared at the 1995 provincial and regional superiors meeting in Foligno and at the provincial chapters.

The chapter discussed the first of the issues -- the organization of provincial chapters. Some provinces have asked that all of their members be allowed to participate in a provincial chapter. Delegates spent time clarifying several issues, but were not ready to take a vote by the end of the day's session. The topic was to be resumed on Tuesday.

Mary Gorski
mgiornal@scj.org
Rome, Italy